When it comes to diet and exercise, we women could seriously use some balance. On one hand, there is a morbid obesity epidemic that has spread across the nation and is showing up in kids as young as toddler-stage! On the other hand, celebrities like Kate Moss and Kiera Knightly are gracing the covers of popular magazines with their scantily-clad, skeleton-with-a-little-skin-over-it bodies! It`s like we are either eating like rabbits or wolfing down an entire cake.
Think the problem just ends there? Think again.
What about the Jillian Michaels-loving, protein shake-chugging Cross-fitters who have turned exercise into an obsession? And on the flip side of that are those who think walking to the fridge or lifting a beer to their lips counts as exercise!
Whatever happened to moderation? Whatever happened to the phrase "within reason"? What I`m getting at is this: Not everyone is going to be a model, queen, or pageant winner. Not everyone is going to be a bodybuilder, celebrity fitness guru, or world famous marathoner.
Even the ancients knew moderation was important:
"Throw moderation to the winds, and the greatest pleasures bring the greatest pains." -Democritus
"Never go to excess, but let moderation be your guide." -Marcus Tillius Cicero
So why do we take everything to the extreme? A lack of balance and self-control. Thanks to the media, a new health fad appears every so often and gets blown way out of proportion. This is typically a miracle food, wellness tip, or diet. The public then takes this fad and runs without doing any legitimate research!
My advice? (Not that you have to take it...) Practice a little non-attachment in your life! Don`t attach yourself to the idea of looking like Angelina Jolie. Get the myth out of your head that all carbohydrates are bad. Don`t jump on the latest band-wagon diet just because your friends are. Instead, make healthy and practical changes that are realistic! Focus on the word healthy, not skinny. Work on becoming fit, not necessarily jacked or ripped. Make goals for yourself that you can first achieve and then continue to practice throughout your life!
....My thighs are too big and I can never achieve the six-pack abs that my older sister was born with. So what? I`m active and within the normal body weight range for my height. I love fruits and veggies and whole grains, but once in awhile...I eat a cupcake! My point: Change your attitude, do your best, and strive for overall balance in your daily diet and fitness routine....avoid extremism.
Tips for dietary/nutritional changes:
Rate your plate!
Portion sizes
Eating out at restaurants
Avoiding Empty Calories
Tips for staying in shape:
Increasing Activity
Anti-Couch Potato
Get up and get out
*Sources: choosemyplate.gov
My advice? (Not that you have to take it...) Practice a little non-attachment in your life! Don`t attach yourself to the idea of looking like Angelina Jolie. Get the myth out of your head that all carbohydrates are bad. Don`t jump on the latest band-wagon diet just because your friends are. Instead, make healthy and practical changes that are realistic! Focus on the word healthy, not skinny. Work on becoming fit, not necessarily jacked or ripped. Make goals for yourself that you can first achieve and then continue to practice throughout your life!
....My thighs are too big and I can never achieve the six-pack abs that my older sister was born with. So what? I`m active and within the normal body weight range for my height. I love fruits and veggies and whole grains, but once in awhile...I eat a cupcake! My point: Change your attitude, do your best, and strive for overall balance in your daily diet and fitness routine....avoid extremism.
Tips for dietary/nutritional changes:
Rate your plate!
Portion sizes
Eating out at restaurants
Avoiding Empty Calories
Tips for staying in shape:
Increasing Activity
Anti-Couch Potato
Get up and get out
*Sources: choosemyplate.gov
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